tidy

adjective

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ti·dy | \ ˈtī-dē

tidier; tidiest

Definition of tidy

(Entry 1 of 3)

1a : neat and orderly in appearance or habits : well ordered and cared for

b : methodical, precise a tidy mind

2 : large, substantial a tidy profit

3 : adequately satisfactory : acceptable, fair a tidy solution to their problem

4 : properly filled out : plump

tidy

verb

tidied; tidying

Definition of tidy (Entry 2 of 3)

transitive verb

: to put in order tidy up a room

intransitive verb

: to make things tidy tidying up after supper

tidy

noun

plural tidies

Definition of tidy (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a usually compartmentalized receptacle for various small objects

2 : a piece of fancywork used to protect the back, arms, or headrest of a chair or sofa from wear or soil

Other Words from tidy Synonyms & Antonyms More Example Sentences Phrases Containing tidy Learn More About tidy

Other Words from tidy

Adjective

tidily \ ˈtī-də-lē

\ adverb

tidiness \ ˈtī-dē-nəs

\ noun

Verb

tidier noun

Examples of tidy in a Sentence

Adjective He has always been a tidy person. She earns a tidy salary. They paid a tidy sum for the house. Verb I tidied the house before they arrived.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective The bedroom isn't the only innovative space: The small kitchen is perfectly neat and tidy thanks to a sliding door that hides extra storage. — Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2022 Instead they are pinned down, neat and tidy for the Ebony shoot. — New York Times, 8 June 2022 Keep all of his on-the-go essentials — wallet, keys, watches and so on — neat and tidy with this wooden docking station. — Amanda Garrity, Good Housekeeping, 16 May 2022 To her credit, Ms. Walsh doesn’t corral the information into a neat and tidy thesis. — Lee Lawrence, WSJ, 13 May 2022 The clear delineations that people assume between work and personal life just aren’t particularly tidy for peasants doing agrarian labor. — Amanda Mull, The Atlantic, 6 May 2022 Still, the ending is tidy enough to leave me with bigger-picture questions (not the least of which relate to the title, which is fuzzy on the page and nearly meaningless here). — Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2022 The Caboodle has withstood the test of time and will ensure all your beauty products are perfectly tidy. — Vogue, 18 Feb. 2022 As is often the case with environmental action, this catch-22 unties the bow from what would otherwise be a very tidy solution. — Katie Becker, Allure, 20 May 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb Ostensibly a game for organization freaks, A Little to the Left asks players to tidy up by arranging books, game cartridges, spoons, lampshades, and more into nice, neat arrangements, all while a mischievous cat tries to mess things up again. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 18 June 2022 Luckily, there are ways to tidy up the toys that will even have the kids excited to lend a helping hand. — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 June 2022 Most movies that deploy violence tidy it up with empty outrage and vacuous moralizing; here, the violence haunts you. — New York Times, 2 June 2022 Make everyday meals healthier with the Philips Premium Air Fryer XXL, and tidy your home up in a flash with the Roborock S7 Robot Vacuum and Mop. — Brittany Vincent, SELF, 31 May 2022 For everybody, please just tidy up as a sign of respect for your fellow humans. — Tribune Content Agency, Detroit Free Press, 16 Nov. 2021 For everybody, please just tidy up as a sign of respect for your fellow humans. — Tribune Content Agency, Detroit Free Press, 16 Nov. 2021 Spring will soon spring, so perhaps this is a good time to tidy up around the castle. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 5 Mar. 2022 Pyongyang has recently been working to tidy its relations with Moscow and Beijing. — Timothy W. Martin, WSJ, 25 Mar. 2022 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The long, narrow space needed sunlight, smarter storage, and a warm but easy-to-tidy aesthetic. — Carisha Swanson, House Beautiful, 18 May 2022 This svelte Keurig keeps the countertop tidy but still has a large water reservoir in the back. — Paige Szmodis, Popular Mechanics, 25 Apr. 2022 The school, tidy and chirping with kids scampering around a blacktop one recent morning, opened in 1926. — Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022 The cultural framing of the Jets and the Sharks is a little tidy and not quite on the mark. — Peggy Noonan, WSJ, 16 Dec. 2021 While a handful of the curation includes kitchen gadgets (from magnetic measuring spoons to a clip-on pasta strainer), most of the products are clever organizers designed to keep your kitchen tidy. — Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE.com, 17 Mar. 2022 In 2021, the cumulative slash line for pitchers was a tidy .110/.150/.142. — Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2022 Acrylic drawer dividers, keep rolling pins, measuring cups, and spatulas tidy. — Missy Keenan, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Jan. 2022 The city’s tidy row houses, which run for blocks, sometimes display the flag of Puerto Rico or a Latin American nation. — Aaron Zitner, WSJ, 28 Dec. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tidy.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.